Tom Telesco has done radio interviews, TV interviews and a press conference. He's hosted a live chat and laughed off a fake Twitter account he inspired.

He's shaken hands and accepted business cards. He's met co-workers and broken bread. He's hammered out the details of a coaching search.

Soon, he knows, this will end.

The honeymoon phase — if it can be called that — for the new Chargers general manager will expire when he chooses his head coach in the coming weeks. Then, the grind begins.

This roster, which features 19 unrestricted free agents, is full of question marks.

His job, while scouting and preparing for the April draft, is to answer them.

"After we get the head coach and assistant coaches hired to see what we're running," Telesco said this week, "that's when we start going through, 'OK, this is what we have.' Talent-wise, moneywise, yeah, those are all discussions that are coming up soon.

"I'll talk to the guys here that know them real well. And obviously, I've got my opinion, too, from the outside, which isn't bad — an objective opinion. Mine is just based off of tape. That's where we're moving forward after the head coach is hired."

On the offensive line, at least three of the five spots demand immediate attention.

The starting guards, Tyronne Green on the left and Louis Vasquez on the right, are scheduled to become free agents in March. The left tackle is his own paragraph.

Jared Gaither is approaching Year 2 of his four-year contract. In 2012, the sense within the organization was, despite Gaither's insistence otherwise, the veteran chose isolation in the training room over his team on the field. Gaither will cost $6.5 million against the 2013 cap if kept and $6 million if released.

Do you keep the talented tackle for $500,000, or do you avoid the drama?

Beside Gaither, the other large contract Telesco inherits from the 2012 free agency class belongs to wide receiver Robert Meachem.

There is no easy out here.

The ex-Saint signed a four-year, $24.5 million deal that came with a full guarantee of $5 million in 2013 base salary.

When Telesco watches film from last season, he'll see Meachem catch 14 of 32 passes, including zero receptions on zero targets the final six games played.

Telesco could cut him loose and use the roster spot elsewhere, or, in a move that makes more financial sense, give Meachem another year to find his way.

Meachem will cost $6.875 million against the cap if on the roster this season and $10.625 million if released. By comparison, a Meachem release in 2014 would cost $3.75 million. The salary cap size also will be larger next year with the league's new TV contracts beginning to take effect.

Before the March start of free agency, there are more questions for Telesco.

Among them, can any contracts be restructured to make more room in the 2013 cap, similar to what the Colts achieved last year with tackle Winston Justice and attempted with defensive end Dwight Freeney?

How do you surround Ryan Mathews? Rookie Edwin Baker and fullback Le'Ron McClain are the only other running backs under contract, and they had zero and 14 carries in 2012, respectively.

What to do at cornerback, where starters Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason have expiring deals? What's the outlook at strong safety with rookie Brandon Taylor (knee) and 31-year-old Atari Bigby (groin) coming off season-ending injuries?

Aubrayo Franklin's contract is up. Antonio Garay, given the backloaded makeup of his two-year deal, almost certainly must be released. Aside from Cam Thomas, who are the nose tackles?

What is the rotation at outside linebacker, other than Jarret Johnson and Melvin Ingram? Shaun Phillips and Antwan Barnes are scheduled free agents. Larry English is no lock to make the team.

Who will be the inside linebacker next to Donald Butler, presuming the Chargers remain in their 3-4 scheme as expected?

And speaking of Butler, it officially may be time to extend the 2010 third-round draft choice, whose rookie deal expires after the season. He'd join defensive ends Corey Liuget and Kendall Reyes, Ingram and safety Eric Weddle as the young cornerstones to the defense.

"I hope," Butler said recently of a new contract. "I want to stay here. I definitely want to stay here. Time will tell."